The present invention relates to a universal dispenser for implants or other items. During the course of orthopedic surgery, the surgeon as well as nurses and other attendants are dressed in sterile body encapsulating clothing including the use of gloves. Gloves inherently reduce the tactile feel of the fingers and hands and prevent the wearer from manipulating objects and packages as easily as would be the case were the gloves not worn.
During the course of surgery, it is often necessary to remove instruments, implements and items to be surgically implanted from sterile packaging. Packaging that is currently known, for these purposes, is quite cumbersome and unwieldy and it is often difficult to easily remove items from packaging while wearing gloves during a surgical procedure.
As such, a need has developed for a simple, inexpensive packaging that may be used to safely and securely retain items such as, for example, those that will be implanted in the human body during surgery but which allows easy removal of such items from the packaging. The packaging should also allow storage and easy dispensing of other items. It is with these needs in mind that the present invention was developed.
The following prior art is known to Applicants:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,011 to Bowman discloses a package and display device that allows inspection of the contents thereof by applying slight pressure against the front and back surfaces of the package at the center and by pulling downwardly on a transparent envelope thereof while holding the supporting member by a portion adjacent an eyelet thereof. The present invention differs from the teachings of Bowman as contemplating a package closeable like a clamshell about an implant or other item and including an opening allowing removal of the implant or other item by squeezing the edges of the two clamshell halves toward one another, thereby eliminating frictional retaining forces on the item.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,206 to Gerber, U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,248 to O'Farrell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,261 to Ji, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,281 to Phelps disclose packages designed to retain an item within and allowing access to the item by squeezing the side edges of the package. The present invention differs from the teachings of these patents as contemplating a package closeable like a clamshell about an item such as, for example, an implant and allowing access to the item by squeezing the side edges of the closed clamshell halves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,552 to Pawlowski discloses a package including two halves closeable about an item that may be contained therein. Pawlowski uses pressure sensitive adhesive. The present invention differs from the teachings of Pawlowski as contemplating a package using tabs and recesses to hold the clamshell halves together and wherein one may access the contents by squeezing the side edges of the clamshell halves toward one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,965 to Paillet discloses a container for pharmaceutical ampules or the like wherein the ampules may be contained within two clamshell halves that may be pivoted to a closed position. Paillet fails to contemplate allowing access to the ampules by squeezing the side edges of the halves.